- A 32-year-old woman submitted an average day of eating to be reviewed for Insider's Nutrition Clinic.
- She told Insider she wants to gain muscle and energy, and start long-distance running again.
- A dietitian said she probably isn't eating enough, and should eat more carbs and fats in particular.
- If you'd like to have your diet reviewed by an expert, fill out this form.
- The advice in this article isn't a substitute for a professional medical diagnosis or treatment.
Amy, 32, submitted her eating routine to Insider's Nutrition Clinic, where qualified dietitians and nutritionists offer advice on readers' eating habits.
She told Insider her goals are to "gain muscle, have more energy, and get back into running long distance."
Amy said she's a teacher who works 7.30 A.M to 4 P.M. Monday through Friday and does strength training or cycling for an hour three to four times a week. She hikes or works out on the weekends too, she said.
Registered dietitian Alix Turoff reviewed what Amy eats in a day and told Insider it seems she's under-eating, which will make it very hard to build muscle and will also leave her low on energy.
Based on the food journal she provided, Amy's average intake is 1,350 calories, 110g protein, 150g carbs, 20g fiber, and 35g fat, Turoff said.
The average woman is advised to eat 2,000 calories per day, and considering Amy is very active, it's likely she is in an energy deficit, which is not conducive to muscle gain, fueling long runs, or feeling energized, Turoff said.
"If her goal is to gain muscle, she'd have to be eating in a calorie surplus and depending on her height and weight, she's likely eating in a calorie deficit which would mean she's eating for weight loss," Turoff said.
She advised Amy to use an online calculator to estimate her maintenance calorie needs, and then strive to eat 250 calories above that every day.
Amy has a smoothie for breakfast
Amy's go-to breakfast is a smoothie made from a 1/4 of an avocado, two servings of fruit (such as berries, pineapple, mango or banana), one serving of spinach, two scoops of collagen protein powder, and water.
To make her smoothie more energizing, Turoff said Amy could add some oats, and more avocado or nut butter — this would provide more carbs and fat, which provide energy.
"1/4 avocado is a great source of healthy fat but she could benefit from increasing that," Turoff said. "35g fat per day is very low."
"Smoothies are also not always the most filling or satisfying (many people tend to find that when they're not chewing, they're less satisfied even when calories are equal) so she could also play around with that if she feels unfulfilled at breakfast," Turoff said.
Amy often has a salad for lunch
For lunch, Amy said she often has a spinach salad with chicken or a bowl made from one cup of rice, 4 oz of chicken, and one serving of broccoli.
Turoff recommended adding a fat source such as olive oil, a dressing, or cheese for more energy and to boost her calories.
"For more energy, she would benefit from increasing her carbohydrate and fat intake, especially around her long runs," Turoff said.
Amy has a high-protein dinner
Amy's dinner varies, but staple meals include chickpea pasta with vegetables; 8 oz chicken thighs with rice and vegetables (such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts); or 8 oz salmon with rice and stir fried vegetables.
While Turoff said it's great that Amy has protein in all her meals, she again recommended adding a fat source to her dinner.
Snacking doesn't suit everyone, but Amy may find she has more energy, and avoids blood sugar crashes, if she adds a morning and/or afternoon snack, Turoff said.
"It sounds like she's under-eating in general so just focusing on increasing her intake should help a lot," she said.